The Purple Pterodactyls
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 Dust-jacket for The Purple Pterodactyls | |
| Author | L. Sprague de Camp |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Václav Vaca |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Fantasy |
| Publisher | Phantasia Press |
Publication date | January 1980 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (hardback) |
| Pages | 228 pp |
| ISBN | 0-932096-02-6 |
| OCLC | 5913161 |
| 919.8/9 19 | |
| LC Class | PS3507.E2344 P8 |
The Purple Pterodactyls is a collection of fantasy short stories by American writer L. Sprague de Camp. The collection was first published in hardcover by Phantasia Press in January, 1980,[1][2] and in paperback by Ace Books in April of the same year.[2][3][4] It has also been translated into German.[5] An e-book edition was published by Gollancz's SF Gateway imprint on September 29, 2011 as part of a general release of de Camp's works in electronic form.[2][6][7] The pieces were originally published between 1975 and 1979 in the magazines The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Fantastic, Escape!, and Fantasy Crossroads.
The book collects the author's fifteen tales of ensorcelled financier W. Wilson Newbury, an ordinary man continually encountering extraordinary situations. His French wife Denise also appears in most of the tales. Two stories ("Balsamo's Mirror" and "Far Babylon") feature characters recognizable as real-life authors H. P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard, though neither is actually named.[8]
Contents
- "Balsamo's Mirror." In fulfillment of a wish to live in an earlier time, a magic mirror transfers the minds of Willy and an unnamed friend from Providence (H. P. Lovecraft) to the bodies of a pair of 18th century English peasant poachers in a disillusioning adventure.
- "The Lamp." A luckless friend of Willy's attempts to resuscitate his fortunes by invoking an ancient Atlantian deity, forgetful of the fate of its ancient worshipers.
- "Algy." A hoax involving a legendary lake monster in the Adirondacks comes undone when the real thing intervenes.
- "The Menhir." Willy and his French wife get involved in a spooky adventure connected with ancient megaliths in her native country.
- "Darius." In a visit to the Adirondacks, Willy discovers a temperamental horse is the reincarnation of Henri Michod, a lumber mill hand he knew in his youth.
- "United Imp." Willy investigates a company to which his bank is contemplating making a loan, only to find it plagued by some unusual union troubles.
- "Tiki." Concerning giant spider crabs and an enraged Polynesian god.
- "Far Babylon." In Texas, Willy encounters a melancholy poet grieving over lost opportunities; afterwards he realizes it was the ghost of a writing colleague (Robert E. Howard) of his Providence friend.
- "The Yellow Man". Willy is up against voodoo and black magic this time.
- "A Sending of Serpents." Willy finds himself in the middle of a contest between a pair of religious cult leaders.
- "The Huns." In another case of reincarnation, involving Hitler and a motorcycle gang, Willy is aided by Indian shamans Virgil Hathaway and Charlie Catfish.
- "The Purple Pterodactyls." A carnival concession turns out to be run by a jinn who hates to lose, resulting in an escalation of perils for Willy.
- "Dead Man's Chest." A pirate burial may involve other things than treasure.
- "The Figurine." In which it is shown that gods, however minor, can have their own wills and agendas.
- "Priapus." A California sex cult attempting to invoke a lascivious ancient Roman god gets the ritual disastrously wrong.
